With so many humanitarian atrocities continuing to happen here locally on the Central Coast, in our state, across the United States, and globally, I’ve spent many sleepless hours pondering how I’ve become so disillusioned and frustrated with Americans. Until this year, I’ve been proud to be an American and part of our society that I […]
Opinion
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Flooding downtown
Do you think it’s possible that converting a dingy old department store in downtown Santa Maria into apartments is the step needed to reinvigorate an area that’s needed reinvigoration for as long as it can remember? I remember when Fallas Discount Store first proposed filling the space on Broadway. It was 2013. Mayor Alice Patino […]
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The Central Coast desperately needs to build its way out of the housing crisis
We are pro-housing. Period. At Generation Build, housing is our core mission. We advocate for it all: for all types, at all levels. Unlike some organizations, we aren’t afraid to engage in the tough political conversations that others shy away from. That’s because we know real progress requires bold action, not empty platitudes. To solve […]
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Now is the time to help each other prepare for eventual evacuations
Two friends, who have lost absolutely everything to wildfires, say now is the time to help one another prepare to evacuate. If it’s not this fire, or an earthquake, or a tsunami warning … it will be some big challenge in the near future. How about we each help an elderly or disabled neighbor? Help […]
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Gold stars
It’s almost back-to-school time, and I’m jumping the gun by handing out gold stars this week. It’s rare that I get to give so many accolades! First up, North County schools are growing their own gardens thanks in large part to Explore Ecology and One Cool Earth. These nonprofits help establish and run the gardens […]
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Congressman Salud Carbajal and two colleagues are trying to initiate immigration reform
Back in July I said, “the immigration laws need to be updated, but simply resisting enforcement of existing law with endless conversations, waving signs, yelling and screaming, harassing enforcement officers, burning public property, and stopping traffic isn’t helpful and produces no meaningful results,” (Start assisting in immigration issues,” July 10). And “legislators could start with […]
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Newsom’s mid-decade redistricting is dangerous gerrymandering and political revenge
Gov. Newsom has proposed mid-decade redistricting to redraw California’s congressional lines—not to serve the people, but to play political revenge games with Texas. This is gerrymandering, plain and simple. And a dangerous step backward. Californians fought hard to end the days of shady, backroom map deals. In 2008, we passed Proposition 11 to create the […]
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Slow your roll
While flying over Northern Santa Barbara County’s neighborhoods, I can’t help but notice the signs: Slow down. Drive like your kids live here. Children at play. There are already speed limit signs on residential streets telling drivers not to go faster than 25 mph (only a bit faster than the average airspeed velocity of an […]
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Our similarities are stronger than our differences
I thought I’d take a break from all of the grievances, divisions, and outrage of our culture wars, and write about how, despite all the opportunistic goading by our politicians and media, we actually all get along with each other pretty well. This allows me to recount a few of my favorite stories from my […]
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The Constitution guarantees due process for our undocumented workers
We’ve been seeing the relentless march of ICE officials. First, they hunted undocumented workers in Los Angeles, then Oxnard, Ventura, and Carpinteria. The workers that they are hunting are essential to our economy, often doing vital yet low-paying jobs. What’s more, they are protected by the U.S. Constitution. The Fifth Amendment clearly states: “No person […]
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We need to protect ourselves from the unimaginable
I attended the July 11 California Coastal Commission meeting to support the Mothers for Peace request for a hearing on relicensing the Diablo Canyon Power Plant. The aging plant and its radioactive waste sit atop a thrust earthquake fault. PG&E has been granted a five-year extension but is now asking for 20 more, saying five […]
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Vital affordability
In a time when affordable housing is in such high demand, when the California Legislature tries over and over again to alleviate the housing crisis and stimulate building, Buellton is trying to figure out how to kick certain residents out of long-term housing situations and turn those spaces into hotel rooms again. “Those motel uses […]
